No one’s had a proper meal in weeks, bedtimes have been all over the place, an unholy amount of ice creams have been consumed.
Hands up if you’re ready for a back-to-school routine?
I’ve pulled together the things we do to reduce the chaos before school starts, beyond buying the uniform and hoping for the best.
These are the resets I’ve learned over the years that help us get everyone and everything realigned before September kicks off.
1. Reset the family expectations
Who empties the dishwasher? Who puts the bins out? Who puts away the washing? When should bedrooms be tidy?
Get clear on who is responsible for what, when it needs doing, and what “done” actually means. It saves a lot of nagging later.
2. Agree the school-week rhythm
Think about what you want a normal week to look like.
What time is dinner? When do phones go away? Which nights do you eat together? When do bedrooms get reset? When does homework happen?
Getting everyone on the same page makes the return to routine much easier.
3. Do a calendar dump through to Christmas
I add inset days, half term, school events, appointments, trips, clubs, birthdays, holidays and anything else you already know. September feels much less chaotic when October, November and December are visible too.
4. Deal with the birthdays now
Look at the next six to eight weeks. Which presents need buying? Which cards need sending? Which parties are already in the diary?
Future you will be very pleased.
5. Get the school admin working
Before the first day, log back into all the school apps, parent portals and payment systems.
Check passwords, notifications, lunch balances, permissions, forms and anything that's been sitting untouched over the summer.
6. Decide breakfasts and lunches
Remove some of the daily decision-making before term starts.
Choose a handful of easy weekday breakfasts - agree with all the family members. Decide which days are school dinners and which are packed lunches, and have a few standard packed-lunch combinations everyone is happy with.
7. Do the big equipment check
Don't just check whether the uniform still fits. Go through everything they actually need for a school week.
Back-to-school equipment checklist
Clothes & shoes
- School shoes
- Trainers
- Coat / waterproof
- PE kit
- PE trainers
- Sports-specific kit
- Swimming kit if needed
- Spare socks / tights
- Name labels
Bags & everyday kit
- School bag
- PE bag
- Lunch bag / lunch box
- Water bottle
- Pencil case
- Pens
- Pencils
- Rubber
- Sharpener
- Ruler
- Highlighters
- Glue stick
- Coloured pencils
For older children
- Calculator
- Geometry set
- Folders / binders
- Notebooks
- Planner
- Laptop / tablet if required
- Charger
- Headphones
- USB stick if they use one
The easily forgotten stuff
- Bus pass / travel card
- Locker key or padlock
- Bike lights / helmet if cycling
- Umbrella
- Reusable snack pot
- Any equipment needed for clubs or lessons
And check the condition of everything, not just whether you own it. Water bottles somehow spend the summer losing their lids.
Good luck my friends!